Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-21
rHE RICHMOND DISPATCH SUNDAY AUGUST 81. 1887

stances receive perquisites from the
different offices in the buildings they
look after. A few years OF economy,
with judicious investments OF tae
money saved, and they are indepond-
| ent men.
INA GERMAN CAPE.
i was walking up Second avenue
from Houston street tho other day
when noticed a number of men seated
at open windows in one of the old-tlme
aristocratic houses near Tenth street.
Some were reading, some we're playing
chess, and few were dreamiy putting
at cigars and watching the rings OF blue
smoke rs they hoated over their heads:
From their appearance they were all
Germans, which was not at all strange,
this being now a German neighbor-
hood. Over the main entrance to the
house was q small, neat sign bearing
the single word cafe. | entered.
The place was a peculiar one. 1t was
divided into three rooms, and had also
n large veranda in the rear. The front
room, which was also the largest, con-
tanned many small, round, hardwood
tables, at which sat the persons l had
seen from the street and many others.
Nearly all were drinking strong coffee.
On shelves extending around the walls
were all sorts and kinds of German
illustrated papers, newspapers, funny
journals, standard German books, and
some rare and curious German volumes.
Perhaps thirty men were in the room,
although it was early in the afternoon,
when most people are at work.
QUIET SCENE.
Generally Germans are very voluble
when they are together but here not q
sound was to be heard except the rust
| ling of the papers and an occasional
ejaculation from one of the chess
| PLAYERS. The latter were deeply i'm
| mersed in their games and entirely OBJ
ivious to aught else but their cigars.
Their brows were knit into severe
frowns and their bodies were bent for
ward. An air of extreme restfulneSs
| pervaded the place and made one feel
at home despite the foreign characte-
ristics of the men. All seemed to know
each other but, as il by agreement, al
| conversation was confined to q few
words of recognition.
In the spacious hall similar scene
was to be found, In one OF the inner
| rooms were two billiard-tables, which
were covered and looked neglected.
| In the third room was counter, with
two showcases, one containing cigars
and Turkish cigarettes and the other
filed with samples of German pastry.
There were largo cakes, soft and de-
licious in appearance, but not at all
sweet; peculiar apple, peach, cheese,
and prune cakes without any upper
crust-all very good, but very different
from American or French pastry.
On the yeranda sat several persons
engaged III conversation apparently APP
pertaining to business. 1t was queer
scene in the middle of busy day in
busy New York, and outside of similar
summer resorts could probably not be
found anywhere else in the city.
In no place, probably, can the eve
ryday life of the male part of our large
German population be studied 70 bet
ter advantage than in the numerous
German cQtcs which range from tho
cheap resort on east Houston street 10
the swell and luxurious brownstone af-
fair on fiity-seventh street. The cha
racteristic. Of the one differ but little
from the other The difference lies
mainly in the surroundings and the
quality OF the furniture, decorations,
End SO forth.
GERMAN CUSTOMS.
1t is an exact copy of its Berlin and
Viennese prototype. 1t is so entirely
different from anything American, or
French, or English that it seems out OF
place in our streets. To student de-
sirous of making himself acquainted
with real German customs and charac-
ter, no place this side of tho Father
land will prove so useful as this cafe.
1t is also the only place whore can be
obtained those examples OF real Ger
man cooking which are so satisfying
and at the same time so delicious.
1t is very seldom, however, that any
but Germans enter these places, and 1t
is more seldom, in fact, that any of the
walters, or even the proprietor. can be
made to understand anything but Ger
man.
Tho cof5 is a great deal more to the
German than merely restaurant. 1t Is
his club, where he finds things as he
remembers them in the old coun-
try, where he can throw aside his ac-
quired American customs and can for
get everything except that he IS Ger
man.
Not that he always does this, for at
night, when the quiet scene have de-
scribed is changed to one of mirth and
enjoyment of moro noisy kind, scraps
Of loud conversation can be heard in
| which English words are frequently
| jumbled in with a strong flow OF Ger
man in an extremely ludicrous manner
| Whent two German businessmen have
some particularly important transac-
ton to discuss they will, if anywhere
near a caff, adjourn there to talk it
over. Under the influence of coffee
and cigars they soon come to an ami
cable arrangement. From early morn
ing, when the bachelors come there
for their breakfasts, until late ut night,
when, dinner having been disposed of,
chess, billiards, and merry talk are IN
order, the cGta is continually filled. To
some it is moro familiar than their
homes.
Although liquors, beer, and wines
| Cow freely, have never seen or heard
Of Q single case of drunkenness in a
German cafe. During the late rigid
enforcement of the sumptuary laws the
cofcS were the only places that were
left entirely unscathed by the police.
TO al American an experience OF q
single day in one of these cafes is like
u days sojourn in the Fathorland.